Re: New Project?

[Russell Shaw <rjshaw iprimus com au>]

Martin Klaffenboeck wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I now want to know how to start a project from scratch, from the 
> beginning, how to go on and more and more.  So now I have got a few 
> questions:
> 
> What is the first thing to do?

Read the make, autoconf, automake, and libtool manuals:
   http://www.gnu.org/manual/manual.html
Also print the libc manual.

Read the goat book (GNU Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool):
   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1578701902/qid%3D1057937985/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-9417560-2249647

Also useful:
Texinfo:
   http://www.gnu.org/doc/book9.html
Make:
   http://www.gnu.org/doc/book8.html
CVS:
   http://www.network-theory.co.uk/cvs/manual/

It could be useful to get a cheap laser printer of ebay;)

> How do I create a autogen.sh script?  Is that always the same?  Do I 
> have to write it by myselfe or can I copy it from somewhere?
> 
> What are the important things to write into a configure.in file?
> What are the important things to write into a Makefile.am?
> 
> Is there _one_ tutorial includeing all this things, where I can see how 
> to start and so on?
> 
> What are the differences in configure.in files, between gtk and gtkmm?
> 
> What do I have to use in my config.h file?  Is all of the config.h file 
> created from configure.in (via autoheader)?
> 
> Ok,  I had some more questions, I'll ask you when the come into my mind 
> again.

Understanding and starting with the packaging system (autotools) can take
quite a while to get the hang of;)

If you haven't done much programming, make something stand-alone that
doesn't use any of the packaging tools. When you're better at it, have
a go at packaging it.